Reaching the Moon
by mrazfreak
Summary: Criss Angel Fanfic: I don't know how to explain. It's good haha. Just read and review, and I'll try to check out your stuff too!
1. Chapter 1

"I'm glad you came today," Milo said looking in to Luna's strangely colored eyes. She returned his gaze and inspected his features. She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it after quick consideration.

"I'm glad I came too," she replied with a meek smile that broke away pieces of tension between them as they sat at a tall table in their favorite coffee shop "Mudhouse". The last time they had seen each other, the visit ended with screaming. "I'm sorry that I was so upset, but I can't bear knowing what you told me." She looked down at her lap where her anxious hands were fiddling. Then she looked up hoping to meet the eyes of her boyfriend, but he was staring distantly out the window. His jaw was tense, giving Luna the feeling that he didn't want to talk to her about it again. Clearly he was angry enough at himself already. He turned his face toward her as his mouth twisted in to a smile.

"I've missed you these past few weeks," Milo said. His muscular shoulders seemed to sag under their leather sleeves. His gorgeous denim blue eyes stood out in his thick tan skin. He ran his fingers through his tangle of short black hair before continuing. "Well, did you miss me?" He asked in a childish, pleading voice.

"Of course I missed you," Luna replied with a sigh. "I don't like fighting with you. Can we please just try to pretend that the harsh words we spoke never escaped out lips?" Milo smiled a his poetic girlfriend. She was the best thing that ever happened to him, and he was in no position to let that go.

"That would be great. How about I order us some coffee and we can talk like how we used to"

Luna smiled and nodded. She watched as Milo swaggered over in to the line in that "cool" way he does. She loved that look. Although she wasn't sure if she could handle all the dark issues that go with it. She thought about the struggle she was enduring and then grabbed her notebook out of her JGI messenger bag. She had a soft spot for animals; a spot Milo didn't share. She opened her notebook and began to scribble phrases and situations that could explain how she felt. Her hand furiously raced across the lines and then crossed out almost everything she wrote. By the time she stopped a single sentence remained on the page; 'Pedaling upwind on a tedious crescendo of cement'. She crossed that off too, wondering why she thought a bike ride could compare to the conundrum in her mind. She knew she couldn't't break up with him, because as much as it may hurt to say she loved him. And besides, she had to help him through this. He had, after all, helped her through the tough times she faced after her best friend Shelby died in a motorcycle accident.

She pulled herself out of her labyrinth of unfinished thoughts to see Milo approaching. He set down a black hazelnut coffee in front of himself, and handed Luna a vanilla coffee with cream and 3 sugars. He gave her a cocky smirk knowing that the drink she held was her favorite. She kicked his calve playfully under the table. Luna leaned back and sighed peacefully; feeling as though they could work everything out.

"So what projects have you been working on recently?" Milo asked with a coy smile. He knew that whenever Luna talked about her poetry, she became happy, no matter what was going on before that. Luna returned the smile while thinking 'this is why I love him. He always knows how to make me happy.

"Well, Watertree Publishers are making a compilation of poems involving nature. It's intended for school kids, so I felt a little silly writing it, but I think it came out good," Luna said beaming with her usual pride. She really wanted to share her poem with him, but she didn't want to bore him. But one again, Milo came through, knowing what Luna was thinking.

"So, recite it for me" Luna took a deep breath, and then began to recite her poem in her best presenting voice which was smooth like warm butter being spread on toast.

_"In order to have a tree,  
you must first have a seed.  
A seedling pops up from the ground,  
it grows and grows without a sound.  
It's leaves change color and fall to the earth,  
then in the spring, we see rebirth.  
This pattern continues for many years,  
but eventually the end is near.  
Thick roots once helped the tree stand tall,  
but ever tree,  
will one day fall."_

Luna met Milo's adoring gaze with sparkling eyes. He loved it when she bared her passions to him. He leaned in closer to her.

"You know, when you show creativity, you become radiant," he whispered, lips grazing her ear. He pulled back to look in her eyes. Luna softly smiled, and began to lean in for a kiss, but just as she got near enough to feel his breath, she heard a beeping. Milo pulled away and answered his phone.

"Speak," he commanded to the phone. A pause. "Man, does it have to be right now? I'm kind of in the middle of something...No, don't sell to somebody else, I'll be there in 15 minutes."He closed the phone and turned to face a now annoyed Luna.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go..." Milo said, avoiding eye contact with Luna. If he had looked up he would have seen them darkening to a shade that was almost black. She stared through him with an uncomfortable intensity.

"No," Luna barely whispered. This got Milo's attention.

"What do you mean no?!" He responded in a much louder voice. "You think you can control me?" He emitted one short laugh. "I'm a grown man Luna, and I don't need your approval to do what I want," He said angrily. He was standing now preparing to leave.

"You can do what you want," Luna replied, her voice growing stronger. "But, that doesn't mean I can't try to stop you...I can't let you do this to yourself Milo," Her pleading voice continued: "I love you"

He looked her up and down. He had a disgusted look plastered on his face and Luna wondered if it was truly because of her, or if he was mad at himself. Milo slammed his chair in, and hastily rushed out the door. Luna followed, head held high, determined that she could stop him. She trailed him for about 4 blocks and he continually screamed at her to 'get lost' but she kept pushing forward. When they had walked about 6 blocks through their hometown Las Vegas, Milo stopped. He turned to face her, anger flaming all around him. He rushed towards her and in a moment Luna was pinned up against the side of a building. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were darting rapidly around her trying to focus.

"Luna," his hoarse voice choked out. "Luna, I love you too, which is why you have to go. I can't stop Luna, and you staying with me is just going to bring you down too. I don't want that to happen to you, do you understand?" He was yelling now, but it was an exasperated caring yell. Luna's eyes filled to the brim, but she choked her tears back not wanting to show weakness. She said nothing, fearing that he might hit her. However, he merely released her arms, and walked on at a much faster pace. Luna, after careful thought, followed. They arrived in an alley. Milo walked up to the man in the far right corner and began making a deal. Luna raced up behind them.

"Yo, what's this chick doing here man?? Did you know you were followed? Shit, man I can't get caught right now, I got two kids to take care of." The man said in a harsh whisper. Luna wondered if his kids knew how he supported them.

"Luna, get the hell out of here!" Milo demanded, and then turned to address the mysterious dealer. "She won't make trouble for you, don't worry. You got the stuff"

Luna began to scream at Milo: "Milo! Stop this now, I'll get you help!!! We have to work through this Milo!...I need to help you." Milo looked over at Luna as he handed over some money. He slipped a packet of a mysterious substance in to his pocket and then began to walk away. When he heard Luna's footsteps following him, he spun around eyes watering.

"Get out of here Luna!" He shouted shoving a finger towards her face. "If you can't handle this, then get the fuck out of here!" He bowed his head, and then trudged away. This time, and this time only; Luna did not follow...

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**A/N Oohhhh intrigue haha. So reviews would be greatly appreciated. I'll try to update soon, and I know Criss wasn't in this chapter, but trust me, he'll be in the next one. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

(ONE YEAR LATER)

"Luna," yelled a woman in a full length black dress, "are you almost ready?" The woman peeked her head in to her roommate's bedroom. "Luna, we have to go! Everything opens in thirty minutes!"

A groan came from inside the bathroom door that branched off from the bedroom. Luna opened the door and walked in front of her friend as the woman looked her up and down. Luna was wearing a floor length light blue dress that seemed to dance around her curves. She looked flawless.

"Ugh, Bella do we have to go? I look completely gross! What are we going to anyways, that I had to dress up for?" Luna whined to her friend.

Bella looked at her with disgust. "Okay, one, yes we have to go. Two you look spectacular and you know it so stop pretending otherwise, and three, we're going dancing, because you've been single for way to long," Bella teased. Luna looked away. She hadn't dated since she and Milo broke up. She couldn't help it. His type was all she wanted, and yet all she hated. Bella noticed her friend getting quiet so she decided it was probably time to go.

"Alright let's go. I'm gonna meet you at the car. Hurry up and finish so we can leave!" Bella commanded as she grabbed her red purse and headed for the door. Luna turned and went back in to the bathroom to finish getting ready. When she was done she turned off the lights, and noticed the TV was on. She walked over and watched a man with a saw splitting his body in half. Her mouth opened in disgust and amazement, but she knew if she stayed too long her friend would leave without her, so she turned the power off and left the apartment.

* * *

Luna's sea foam colored Prius pulled to the side of the road to park. The dance club they were going to took forever to get to because of traffic. The two stepped elegantly out of the car and walked towards the line that originated under a fluorescent archway with the word "Rouler" at the top. The woman ventured towards the back of the line which seemed extremely far away. When they reached it they looked forward to assess how many people were in front of them. 

"This will be fun," Luna remarked in a bitter tone. Bella glared at her.

"Don't be so pessimistic!" She replied. "I'm sure we'll be up there in no time; and then we can paartaayyy!!!" The woman said with a giant smile. As soon as she finished speaking, a limo pulled up near the entrance. The driver walked around and opened the door. A tall muscular man stepped out. His shoulder-length black hair prevented the girls from seeing his profile. He had a light gray shirt on that stuck to his abs. Aside from that he wore a pair of dark blue jeans, and many silver chains around his neck. Luna's face grew pale.

"Whoa, Loon, you don't look so good. Are you okay hon? Do you need to go home, because I'd understand," Bella said in a half-concerned and half-disappointed voice. Luna's eyes remained on the man entering the club. He turned briefly to look down the line people. Luna breathed out a sigh of relief and turned to face her friend.

"No, I'm totally fine. It's just that the guy who just walked in reminded me a lot of...well, Milo," Luna replied with some hesitation. She knew that Bella hated him, and wished Luna would move on. Bella sighed, and turned annoyed away from her friend.

* * *

The line actually moved at a surprisingly swift pace. The two girls approached the entrance and handed their IDs to the man with the clipboard. He looked down at the IDs, then up at the girls, and then down once more before allowing them inside. As they walked through the double doors, they were welcomed by a pulsating beat surging from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads. The club had hundreds of spotlights flying around the dance floor. Bella, being her outgoing self began to walk straight to the dance floor and began to move. 

"Belle, wait! Don't you want to get a drink first or something?" Luna said desperately hoping her friend wouldn't leave her alone with all the strangers in the club.

"Loon, chill! You'll be fine!" And with that, Bella was on the dance floor. Within seconds of reaching it, her body began swaying to the song playing;

"_Well an old saying goes mind your manners mind your mother_

_And a man can find a lover who is tan and undercover_

_Well she might lies about her age, but lady I got no complaints_

_She can be as crazy and as foolish as she wants to be_

_Because her old school ways are practically technicalities and perfectly sane"_

Luna watched her for a moment, and saw as three men began to compete for her friend's attention. She walked over to the bar. She sat down on a red pleather bar stool. She ordered a scotch and coke and then proceeded to watch everybody dancing. She wasn't much of a dancer herself; no, she preferred to sit on the side and watch. She got a lot of ideas for her writing by just observing people. Then out of the corner of her eye, Luna spotted the man who had come in earlier. He was standing with two men who somewhat resembled him, which made her wonder if they were related. One of the men who he was with tapped the man's shoulder and nodded his head in Luna's direction. The attractive man looked up at Luna, (who immediately turned red) and a smile stretched across his face from one dimple to the other. Luna felt extremely embarrassed for having been caught staring, so she shot down the rest of her drink, and went to find her friend hoping that the man would forget about her awkward moment.

She found Bella in the middle of the floor with about 5 men dancing around her. Luna was happy her friend was having fun, but she also felt a twinge of jealousy. Just as she was about to speak, the song changed to a slow song:

"_Oh, where have you been, my blue-eyed son?  
Oh, where have you been, my darling young one?  
I've stumbled on the side of twelve misty mountains,  
I've walked and I've crawled on six crooked highways,  
I've stepped in the middle of seven sad forests,  
I've been out in front of a dozen dead oceans,  
I've been ten thousand miles in the mouth of a graveyard,  
And it's a hard, and it's a hard, it's a hard, and it's a hard,  
And it's a hard rain's a-gonna fall."_

One of the men grabbed Bella's shoulders and they moved away from the group to slow dance. Luna sighed and turned away. She felt stupid and lonely while she meandered through all of the coupled people as they sway back and forth. She put her head down to hide her embarrassment, and walked out the side door on the club to get some air. The door led to a terrace, which offered an amazing view of all the city lights. She walked to the edge and took a deep breath of the cool night air. She closed her eyes and tried to release all of the emotions she'd been feeling inside.

* * *

After a few minutes, Luna sensed somebody standing behind her. She waited a moment to see if they would make themself known, but after nothing happened, she spoke. 

"Do you want to talk to me? Or are you content just staring at my back? Because I have a response either way," Luna snapped as she turned around to face her company. She stopped spinning on her heels to come face to face with the man who'd spotted her staring. He seemed to have not heard her comment. Luna stumbled back a step or two arms waving behind her for something to hold on to. She settled for a metal railing and then looked back up at the man, to see his deep brown eyes staring straight at hers.

"I..I'm..uh…Sorry, I didn't expect anybody semi-pleasant to be following me out here," Luna stuttered, trying to redeem herself. "Do you want me to leave so you can be out here alone?"

The man chuckled quietly to himself and then spoke for the first time since Luna had seen him: "No, no don't leave. I was just wondering if you'd like to dance with me?"

Luna's face seemed to emit terror. This man was gorgeous, and mysterious, and that was exactly why she had to decline.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think that'd be a good idea," she mumbled while averting her eyes from his. Apparently that answer wasn't good enough for him, because he didn't leave.

"Oh, come on," he smiled warmly. "It's just one dance. I'm not asking you to marry me or anything." His pleading eyes sparkled with mischief and swallowed Luna up, but she quickly gained her composure. "Just one dance?" he added for a finishing touch. Luna sighed, and then reached out and took the man's hand that he held out.


	3. Interlude

**A/N**

**okay, i'm sorry it's been a little while, but i've been insanely busy recently, but i'll try to write more as soon as possible. i'm going on a yoga retreat next weekend, and i'll have a lot of spare time, so i can write a lot then. sorry for the wait! )  
p.s. reviews might make me work faster ;)**


	4. Chapter 3

Luna followed her dance partner back in to the club. He led her to the middle of the floor, and began to move. The song had a fast pace requiring more dance moves than Luna had up her sleeve, but the man just took her hand and twirled her around followed by several other guiding moves. Luna breathed a deep sigh of relief knowing that this man was dancing enough for the both of them. Out of the corner of her eye, Luna spotted Bella dancing with yet another partner. 'That girl has more energy than a race horse,' Luna thought to herself. Bella looked up and then looked at Luna's current partner. She gave a not-so-subtle wink to Luna. Luna scoffed at her friend, a little louder than she intended to.

"What? You don't like my moves?" the man asked with a playful smile. Luna's face turned a deep shade of red.

"Oh! No, you're dance moves are great. I was just clearing my throat!" Luna said. _'Oh yeah that was smooth_,' she thought sarcastically. But the man just smiled. It was about that time that the song ended, and another slow one came on.

"Well, thanks for the dance. It was really nice of you to ask me," Luna said, hoping to slip away.

"Wait a second," the man said gently grabbing her arm to prevent her from leaving. "Just one more dance? I promise I won't bite," he said with a silly grin slapped on his face. He held out his arms as an invitation. Luna struggled with the civil wars occurring in her mind. One side was screaming _'retreat, before you get hurt_,' while the other was saying _'you're strong, keep going_!' She looked in to his pleading, dark eyes, and then walked in to his waiting outstretched arms. He slid his hands around her waist as she locked her fingers together around his neck. She could feel a buzzing heat between them as their hips swayed with the music. Luna then realized that she didn't even know this guy's name, so she asked him.

"It's Criss," he responded eyes closed as they sway from side to side together. "How about you? Wait let me guess," he said opening his eyes. "Close your eyes," Luna reluctantly agreed. "Now," he said his smooth voice down to a barely acknowledgeable whisper. He pulled apart from Luna and picked up her hand. He put it against his own.

"Now, I need you to picture your name," Luna melted under the command. "Okay, now picture your name running through your body from your head to your palm. He used his other hand to gently trace a finger down her smooth arm. Luna obeyed following the warm path his skin had left while picturing her name soaring under her skin. She felt Criss moving closer, until his hot breath tickled her ear. He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and then whispered: "Luna".

Luna's eyes shot open with a gasp. She pulled her head hastily away from Criss (who now sported a cocky but gentle smile). Her heart was beating heavily in her chest, and she looked him up and down. He was perfect. So did the only thing she knew how to. She turned away, and she ran. **[A/N I so wanted to make this a cliffhanger, but the chapter's too short ha-ha.**

She sprinted out the doorway of the club and turned on the sidewalk near the busy street. It had begun to rain, causing Luna's long red hair to become frizzy, and her makeup to run. Criss chased after her wondering what he'd done wrong. He finally caught up with her when she'd needed to stop before crossing the street. He slowed his pace and approached her with caution. Her face was crumpled in her hands, but he couldn't tell if she was crying because of the pouring rain. He set his hand on her shoulder, and she looked up startled.

"Oh, god," she whispered to herself, while trying to reshape the puddle she'd become back in to a human. "I'm so sorry if I embarrassed you in there by storming out, but I don't have the energy to plead for forgiveness right now," Luna said rubbing tears away from her red eyes. Criss studied her for a moment, trying to understand where she was coming from.

"I could care less about being embarrassed. I came to see if you were okay. What did I do wrong?" Criss asked while taking her hand in his own.

Luna laughed a little to herself. "You didn't do anything wrong," she said to him, and then added "_that's just the problem_," to herself.

Criss tried to keep her eyes focused on his, but they kept darting away as though afraid eye contact would expose her soul. "Well, if I didn't do anything wrong, then why'd you run out?" He asked her in a calm voice.

Luna took her hand away from his, and looked towards the city lights on her left. Her jaw was clenched in an attempt to hold back tears. "I'm sorry Criss, but I've just had a somewhat tough past with relationships, and I'm not really looking to get in to one," she responded without turning back to face him. Pulling those words out of her mouth hurt her heart to the point where the tears had returned, and she didn't want to show him any more weakness. Criss watched her and put his hand on her back to comfort her.

"Okay, I understand...Well, if it's okay with you Luna, could we be friends? I won't do anything that you don't want me to," Criss pleaded.

Luna finally connected her eyes to his. "Yeah, I think that'd be good," she said with a smile. Criss let out a sigh of happiness and returned her smile.

"Can I give you some friendly advice?"

"Ha-ha sure..."

He held out his hand and watched raindrops splash on his palm. "Standing here in the rain is crazy," He laughed. Luna looked up at the sky. She and Milo used to play together in the rain. She looked back down at Criss' chiseled features.

"You know what? You're right," She said, and with that, they left.

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**So I appreciate reviews very much people, although I don't seem to be getting many. You guys should be more like Tempting.Seductress who is nice and keeps reviewing. :)**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N:: So, I don't really like how this chapter came out. I kept getting interrupted when I was trying to write it, so I don't think it came out as fluid as I intended, but hey, it wasn't a crucial part anyways I suppose. So read and review please:)**

* * *

They began walking back towards the club at a much slower pace than that at which they had left it. Criss watched Luna, and was amazed by how much more relaxed she was now that Criss said they could be friends. Her naturally red lips curved up at the corners creating an overall peaceful look, and her eyes seemed to have lightened in color or energy. "So, where do you work?" asked Criss trying to find out more about his new friend. 

Luna had been asked this question many times, and wondered how to answer it. "Technically, I work wherever I want to," she said playfully, then upon seeing criss's puzzled face added: "I'm a writer, so I write wherever and whenever I'm inspired," she clarified.

"Oh really? That's so cool! I've always admired people who are that creative. I've tried writing a few times...Mostly song lyrics, and they came out okay, but I don't think they'd be worth much unless I added the music to them. What kind of stuff do you write?" He asked, sincerely interested. Luna's eyes began to sparkle the way they do when she discusses this topic, and Criss noticed right away. They were so excited, he had to smile.

"I try a lot of different styles. I've written 2 novels, I've tried short stories, I've even written a screenplay once," she said proudly. "But, my real passion is poetry. I love being able to say something that feels vastly important without actually having to come out and say it," she looked down at her shoes and then back up again laughing a little. "I know that sounds dumb, but...I don't know. I like being able to secretly reveal myself without people knowing it," she said her voice quieting a little. She wondered if she'd expressed too much to Criss, but he seemed genuinely fascinated. He smiled at her, and responded.

"It doesn't sound dumb at all. I know exactly what you mean. I feel like I do that sometimes in my craft as well." Luna looked at him with a puzzled look, so he proceeded to explain. "You see, I'm an illusionist. I don't mean to sound vain or anything, but I was kind of surprised when you asked my name, because my performances have kind of made me a well-known face around here."

Luna laughed slightly embarrassed. "I don't really keep up with the gossip or night life stuff around here, so sorry. In fact, the only reason I'm here, is because my friend dragged me out," she said looking into his deep eyes. What she didn't know was that behind those eyes, Criss was silently thanking Luna's friend for doing just that.

"So what kind of 'illusions' do you do?" Luna asked bringing Criss out of his thoughts.

"I try to present a variety. I like to try to make people wonder, because sometimes I'll tell them that something isn't real, and other times, I'll blow their minds and provide no explanation. I present the audience with the opportunity to decide what's real, and what's all an illusion," he explained with a mischievous grin.

They then approached the club. Luna looked across the street and noticed that her car was gone. Semi-worried, she paused on the sidewalk and pulled out her phone to call her fried.

"Hello?" answered Bella's voice.

"Belle, it's Luna. Did you take my car home, because I'm outside the club now and it's gone?!"

"Oh shit, I'm so sorry Loon. I thought you had left with that guy so I invited my friend back to our place for a while, and I took your car home. I'm so sorry! Do you need me to come pick you up?"

Luna thought about this, and decided against it, because she wanted her friend to have fun, and she usually held her back. She told Belle her decision and then turned back to Criss.

"Well, thanks for a nice evening Criss, I hope I see you again sometime," she said preparing to catch a taxi and go grab a cup of coffee.

"Wait a second," he replied. "I couldn't help but overhear, but it sounds like you need a ride and someplace to go," he said in a not so subtle attempt to spend more time with her. Luna sighed, and thought about her options, and then agreed to go with Criss. They began to walk across the street to the line of cars.

"Wait, didn't you arrive in a limo with a driver?" She asked remembering her discomfort as she had watched him enter the club.

"Yeah I did, thanks for stalking," he joked. "But, remember when I told you I'm well known? Well, that kind of has perks. I had a guy from the hotel where I live drop off a ride," he said as he approached an expensive looking motorcycle. Luna froze. She'd been petrified of them ever since her friend had been killed, and she vowed not to ride one. This hurt too much to say, so she made up an excuse.

"Uh...Criss look what I'm wearing. Do you really think that it would be a good idea for me to sit on there in this?" She asked while moving her hands down the sides of her dress. Criss raised an eyebrow, and one corner of his mouth turned up in a smile, which made Luna shiver a little.

"Alright," Criss said. He seemed disappointed that she wasn't willing to be a little wild. Luna saw this disappointment in his gorgeous pleading eyes, and felt guilty. "It's no problem," Criss continued now masking his emotions. "I'll just call for the limo," he said with a big smile that Luna could see right through.

"No, Criss wait," Luna sighed. "I have some shorts in my purse, because I hate wearing dresses...So I guess we can ride," she said trying to force a happy expression on her face. "I'll be right back," she said walking over to the club so she could change in the bathroom. As she was walking away, she noticed Criss playing with his bike as happy as a kid in a candy shop. She was glad that she was making him happy, but shivers were pulsating through her body and she was positive her rapid heartbeat could be heard. As she walked in to the bathroom and began changing she remembered seeing her friend lying in a coffin. She remembered breaking down in front of the coffin. She remembered yelling at the man with who had killed her when he had gotten off without jail time and showed up at the funeral. Tears began flowing down her face as she pictured these images that were engraved in her memory a year and a half before. She missed her friend, and was deathly afraid to do something like ride the motorcycle. But nonetheless, she had the shorts on now and was walking back to Criss.

She held back her tears, because she knew that she had to get past her fear; no she _needed _to get past it. She walked up behind Criss and tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around smiling and eager to ride, but his expression changed quickly to a look of concern. "Whoa, Luna are you okay? Are you crying?" He asked in a gentle voice.

Luna could no longer hold back the tears that she was hiding, and as they ran down her cheeks Criss wrapped her in an embrace. She felt too vulnerable right then to try to fight it, so she held on to him and sobbed in to his shoulder.

"Luna, please tell me, what's going on?" Criss asked her once her sobs quieted down. Luna looked down and sighed for a moment trying to regain composure before speaking.

"Um...It's just that...Last year, my friend was in an accident, and she died. She was riding her motorcycle, and was run over by an idiotic drunk truck driver who ran a red light. I've been really afraid of motorcycles ever since then. It's like every time I see one, I picture her getting hit, and I break down. I'm so sorry Criss, I don't mean to lay all this on you, I'm being weak, that's all. But, I do want to ride with you. I need to overcome my fear." She looked him straight in the eyes, and said: "I think it's about time that I start living again," she smiled in self satisfaction.


	6. Chapter 5

Luna climbed on to the motorcycle behind Criss, and put on the cherry red helmet he handed her. He turned to face her to offer some last minute encouragement.

"If you need me to stop or slow down just tell me, okay?" Criss asked. Luna nodded, and wrapped her arms around Criss's waist. He pulled out on to the road, and they began to accelerate. Luna's embrace tightened by the moment to the point where Criss could barely breathe, but he wanted her to feel safe, so he didn't say anything. Luna's eyes darted around at the lights as they flew by. She took deep breaths, and noticed that it became easier as they kept going. Her grip loosened a little, and she actually began to enjoy herself. A sense of accomplishment and pride surged through her body and she loved this new found feeling.

"How are you doing so far?" Criss asked while they were stopped at a light.

"I'm great! Thank you so much for convincing me to do this Criss! I'm actually having fun!" She replied bearing her radiant smile to him.

"I didn't convince you Luna, you convinced yourself," he replied smiling back. Luna nodded acknowledging this. The light changed colors and they started to accelerate once again, only this time Luna wasn't clinging on as if her life depended on it. The wind was chilly against her cheeks, so she lay her head against Criss's back. She could smell his shampoo on his hair that was being whipped backwards in the wind. He turned in to a hotel parking lot, which she'd passed several times before. It was a giant black pyramid, which reflected the brilliant lights from the city. Criss pulled right up to the front of the hotel, and as they got off, he handed the keys to one of the men outside.

"See what I mean by perks?" He asked with a playful smile. Luna laughed, her long hair shining in the moonlight. Criss stared at her for a moment, which made her feel warm and nervous, so she decided to move things along.

"So, why are we at the Luxor?" She asked walking towards the revolving door.

"Well, I thought we could get a drink or something and hang out for a bit. Or at least until your friend's "company" has left," he responded. Luna loved the way he looked when he smiled or laughed. He seemed as joyful as a child, but his overall mysterious look reminded her that he's not a child at all. Criss led her over to a bar with the signs displaying "Aurora" all over the place.

"I'll have a beer," he said to the lanky blond guy behind the counter. "Can I order for you? Or will you run away again if I figure it out?" He jested turning to Luna. Luna laughed, slightly embarrassed.

"Go ahead. But I bet you can't figure it out," Luna said, secretly knowing she was putting the man in a trap, since she actually didn't care to drink alcohol at all. Criss stared at her for a brief moment and then turned to the bartender. "She'll just have a sprite," he said while trying to conceal his cocky smile that he wore so often. Luna just smiled and him and shook her head. They took the drinks, and headed over to sit on the big black couches in the lounge. Luna found it awkward when sitting, wondering where a "friend" should sit, but she finally just decided to stop thinking for a moment little while.

"So, I want to hear some of your writing," Criss said pulling her from her thoughts. Luna became hesitant, worrying that they hadn't known each other long enough for her to reveal a part of her she was so close to. Besides, she didn't really share her work much these days anyways.

"Eh, I'm tired Criss, let's just talk," she pleaded, but Criss was determined, and after a fairly long staring match Luna gave in. "Okay, before I recite this, you need to promise me a few things"

"Name them," Criss replied eager to listen.

"First, you may not laugh, and if you do I can walk out of here, and you won't follow me," She said sternly.

"Reasonable. Go on"

"Also, if you have a question about it that I don't want to answer, I don't have to," She said in a voice a mother uses on a two year old.

"Yes ma'am!" Criss replied in a little boy's voice. Luna took a deep breath, and pushed her hair behind her ears. Then she began to speak.

_"He doesn't scream or shout or beat,  
But his silence is deafening  
He never misses a single beat  
But he feigns his mind is in a sling.  
I question his motives day by day,  
But no matter what i try  
There's nothing i can do or say that will provoke even the slightest reply.  
Through all the strain of unspoken hates,  
His nails covertly scrape off layers of paint.  
Beneath all of these actions i thought were traits,  
His mind was practicing self restraint.  
I only hope it isn't too late.  
To change his fate. to change his fate." _**[A/N Please don't steal the poem, it took me a while to write**

Her voice grew softer towards the end, and created a melancholy feeling around the two. Criss sat in thought for a moment in thought, trying to contemplate the meaning of Luna's piece. After a little while, he seemed to be content with whatever he had thought of, but still he asked Luna what the poem meant.

"Well, that's really for you to decide isn't it?" She smiled coyly. "I guess, if you look at it on a large scale, it's a sonnet about the silent desperation of mankind. Although I had a much smaller version of the topic in mind while writing it." She answered. Criss waited for her to elaborate on this, but she didn't.

"So, what did you have in mind when you wrote it?" He asked.

"And this is where rule number two comes in to play," Luna said a little bit coldly. Criss sighed, defeated, and took a large sip of his beer. Luna felt uncomfortable all of the sudden, and began searching for an excuse. She pulled her phone out of her bag and began obviously taking note of the time.

"I should probably be going Criss. I'm sure my friend will be wondering where I am," she said while standing to leave. "It was nice to meet you and I hope I'll see you again some time," she said as she started walking towards the exit. Criss got up and followed her to the door. Once they were outside, he spoke.

"I don't want to just hope to see you again Luna. Can I have your number? I want to be sure to see you again," he replied, his deep cryptic eyes looking longingly in to hers.

"Uh..Sure, yeah," Luna said uneasily as she scribbled her number on a gum wrapper and handed it to Criss. "Well, bye!" she said walking away. But as she started moving, she felt a hand wrap around her wrist and keep her from going further. She spun around to find Criss's face within two inches of hers. He brushed a strand of hair off her face leaving a tingling sensation in her cheek. His eyes closed, and for a brief moment, their lips collided. Luna's heart pounded a million miles per minute, and she hastily pulled back. She seemed unsure of what she was feeling and what she was doing.

"Criss, you said you wouldn't make a move," she whispered softly.

"I told you I wouldn't do anything you didn't want me to," he responded and leaned back in once more. This time Luna kissed him back. And he was right. She did want it.

* * *

**So I know, super cheesy, and makes you want to gag, but what can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic. Reviews please!**


	7. Chapter 6

"Bella?" Luna shouted as she entered her shared apartment. "I'm home!!!" Her friend emerged from her bedroom, and hopped over to her friend with a smile shining expectantly. 

"Well?" Bella squealed. "How did it go with that hottie?!" She exclaimed, eyes dancing with excitement. Luna smiled and turned away bashfully. She set her purse down on the couch, and walked in to the kitchen to get herself something to eat. Bella followed at her heels like a new born puppy.

"It went fine," Luna said vaguely, just to get a rise out of her friend. Bella glared at her and looked like she would explode. "Haha, alright, alright! I'll tell you about it, but you have to tell me about your night first!" Luna declared. Bella sighed in defeat, and the two went in to the living room and sat on the couch. Luna crossed her legs under her, ready to listen.

"Well, his name is Amadi," she began. Luna's tilted her head to the side wondering why the unusual name. "Haha, I know I thought it was weird at first too. It turns out it means "seemed destined to die at birth" in his native language of Nigeria. I know that sounds like a creepy name, but he said it just means he overcame the odds, which I think is pretty cool." Bella was looking downward and smiling widely. "He's really sweet Luna. And he's totally not like other guys I've been with, because when we got back here, he didn't try to make a move or anything!" Luna laughed at her friend, but she was glad she had fun. "Now, tell me about YOUR night!!!"

Luna thought about her tiring, yet thoroughly enjoyable night. "Well, I made a new friend," her remark made Bella crazy.

"LUNA, tell me about the man you were with for god's sake! Who was he?"

Luna chuckled at her friend's impatience. "His name is Criss. He's a pretty nice guy. He's an 'illusionist', and...yeah that's pretty much it," Bella sat silent for a moment, and then as though a light bulb had finally come on she shouted:

"Oh my god!!! That's why he looked so familiar!!!!" Her eyes were bulging as she bared her excitement. "That's Criss freaking Angel!!!! Oh my god! I can't believe you hung out with Criss Angel!!!" Luna was surprised that Bella knew who he was, but then again, even though she hadn't been living life to it's full potential recently, didn't mean that Bella hadn't been either.

"So can I deduce from all this screaming that you know who he is?" Luna laughed trying to calm down her hysterical friend.

"Uh YEAH! I mean everybody around here knows who Criss Angel is!!! I can't believe you got to be with him!! He is SO hot," Bella said with a lot of emphasis. "So, what happened with you guys?"

Luna looked away from her friend while trying to conceal a smile. "Why do you automatically assume something happened?" Luna countered.

"Oh come on Luna, stop avoiding the question, and tell me!" Bella said. She knew her friend all too well.

Luna finally gave in and began explaining her night. Bella was entranced throughout everything. "So yeah," Luna said finishing the story. "After we kissed again, we made plans to go on a date-"

"YOU'RE GOING ON A DATE WITH HIM?! Oh my god Luna!!!" Bella screamed. Luna could only smile and laugh because her friend was more than excited enough for the both of them.

"Yep, tomorrow night, I'm supposed to meet him at the Luxor at 8," Luna tried to say in a nonchalant tone, but it ended up coming out like a giddy school girl. Bella squealed with excitement once more, and ran in to Luna's bedroom. Luna followed at her heels, wondering what she was doing. Her friend began throwing garments from her closet on to her bed. "Uh, Bella? What do you think you're doing?" she asked.

"Okay Luna, I'm gonna break this down for you since you haven't dated in a while," she said cautiously. "When you go on a date with an extremely sexy man, who every girl would love to date, and everybody will be looking at you, it's kind of important to not look like...well..." she gestured to her friend's outfit. Luna stepped in front of the mirror and realized that she still had on the shorts and her dress was tied in a knot at her waist.

"I was on a motorcycle Bella, I couldn't just let my dress fly all over!" At this, Bella's mouth dropped wide open for what seemed to be the millionth time that night.

"YOU, were on a motorcycle? You're petrified of them!" she gaped at her friend. "Wow Loon, you realllyyy must like Criss if you'd ride a motorcycle for him." She teased. Luna looked annoyed.

"I didn't do it for him, I did it because it's time for me to stop being afraid of everything," she paused as she sat on the bed. "...Although, I do like him.." she added quietly. Bella smiled widely at her friend, and then turned back to the closet once more. Luna gave in and sat still with a smile on her face as her friend tossed clothes all over.

* * *

When Luna woke up the next morning, she was shivering with anxiety. She hadn't dated since she'd been with Milo, and they never really dated much before they became a couple. She tried picturing what they would be doing in her head, but every time she thought that it was too normal for Criss. A movie? No way to mainstream. Dinner? Maybe, but it would have to be someplace exotic. She walked out of her bedroom and in to the kitchen where she found a note from her friend saying she was called in to the hospital to work overtime. Luna admired Bella's courage to be a nurse in the ER. She sat down for a brief breakfast and then wondered what to do with her morning. She wanted to write something, but needed an inspiration, so she decided to go for a walk through the park near her house, and do some photography. She threw on some clothes, grabbed her camera, and headed out the door. The park was right up the street from their apartment, so Luna arrived within a minute. She loved going there, because even though it's Las Vegas, and you wouldn't expect to find any great places for nature shots, the park was expansive, and had a barrier of trees going all around it.

She walked around for a while, and began to take pictures. She took a lot of pictures of trees from interesting angles. Her favorite one of all, was a picture of six red berries hanging off a branch, against the background of the blue sky. She walked a little farther, and came to a cemetery. Luna had never really understood why people feared cemeteries, because she was fascinated by them. She loved to read about all the people who lived before her. She took a few more pictures, and then suddenly took out her notepad from her jacket pocket, and began sketching down a poem.

_"The mossy walls told no tales,  
though I searched through all the cracks.  
The path was long, but lively lit,  
giving time to prepare for what was to come.  
The stones sank crooked in the ground,  
and held remnants of lover's names.  
Their legacies have been eroded for so long,  
only records in files remain.  
Colors sprout through reflective blades in the form of flower buds,  
thriving in replenished soil.  
Is that the reason we breathe each day?  
To one day lie underground and decay?  
True, this fate of being food for worms may seem trite and insignificant.  
But think of how a worm must feel,  
knowing his only purpose in life is to excrete his meal."_

After rereading it, she laughed at how cynically it began and how childishly it ended. Nevertheless, she was proud, because she'd accomplished what she had set out to do. She lay back for a moment and soaked in the rays of sun beaming down on her. She tried to make moments like this every day, when she could just recognize the simple things around her. As she was looking at a caterpillar on the grass to the left of her head, she noticed feet approaching her. She looked up, and her face drained of blood. She instantly lost all the peace she had been feeling as she recognized the figure in front of her was Milo.

"L-Luna? Wow, I h-haven't seen you in a while," he said with eyes twitching around and body shivering. "How have you been?" Luna sat up in stunned silence and stared at the figure in front of her. After a few more seconds of silence, Milo continued. "I've missed you Luna. I don't know how I could have let go of you. But, I've been thinking recently, and your right. I need help. Will you help me Luna?" She stared at him, and took in his appearance. He looked as though he hadn't been washed in a month, and a faint smell of urine emanated from his body. She thought of the pain he caused her, and all the good things she had going for her now. She stood up and took out her notepad. Milo tried to read what she was scribbling down. "You still writing eh?" he asked trying to smile. Luna handed him the paper, and spoke for the first time since she'd seen him.

"That's the address of the nearest homeless shelter. Tell them your problem, and I'm sure they'll set you up with some help. Good luck Milo," she said solemnly and she walked away.

"Luna, wait! I'm trying to get better now. That's what you wanted, remember?!" He shouted at her as she walked away. She turned to face him one last time.

"Milo, what I wanted was for us to be able to be happy together. You have no idea what I want," and with that she walked away. And as she did, she couldn't help but to think about the person who did know what she wanted. The person who she'd be seeing very soon.


	8. Chapter 7

Luna inspected herself in the mirror above the dresser in her bedroom. She'd gotten a text message from Criss earlier saying 'wear something warm' on their date, and she was now wondering how to follow Bella's fashion tips while being bundled in layers of clothing. She decided to just ignore the tips Bella had given her, because as much as she loved the girl, Luna wasn't quite as obsessed with her appearances. 'Besides', she thought to herself, 'he already asked me out on the date after seeing my not-so-stylish outfit last night'. She decided to just put on some jeans, clogs, a blue shirt, and a black sweatshirt on over that. Then upon looking in the mirror decided reluctantly to add some makeup so as not to look completely messy. 

She quietly shuffled out of her room while trying not to awaken Bella who had gotten in an hour before and headed straight to bed. Luna grabbed her bag, and headed out the door. She got in to her Prius, and pulled out in to the road. The traffic was surprisingly good considering that it was 7:30 on a Saturday night, so she arrived at the Luxor by 7:50. After parking her car, she wandered inside wondering where she was supposed to meet Criss in the expansive lobby. She finally settled on sitting at the same spot they had talked the previous night. Her mind began to ponder why she had to wear warm clothing in spring. Then suddenly pulled away from her thoughts, Luna saw Criss in front of her.

"Hey," he said walking over to Luna as she stood. "It's really good to see you again, Luna," he stated in a voice barely louder than a whisper. Cold shivers surged through Luna's body, and made her grateful for the warm clothing.

"It's good to see you too," she responded trying to maintain her composure. As they stood there, she literally had to hold her body back, because she wanted to kiss him again so badly. Fortunately Criss took her by the hand and began walking towards the elevator. She noticed that he was in warm clothing too, wearing a black jacket over a long sleeve shirt, and jeans as well. Luna turned red with shame as the thoughts of hot elevator scenes ran through her head. "So, where are we going?" she asked breaking the silence as they began to ascend.

"It's a surprise," Criss responded smiling slyly. "But then after the surprise I figured we could go to my room and have dinner. How's that sound to you?" Luna smiled, and thought that doing anything with this man sounded good to her, but of course she couldn't say that aloud.

"Sounds great! But will you tell me one thing? Why do I have to dress warm?" She implored widening her eyes like a puppy.

"Aw, that's not fair! You're not supposed to use cuteness to make me reveal surprises!" Criss laughed, never lowering his gaze from hers. He loved how Luna could look so beautiful, while wearing a baggy sweatshirt and jeans. It was also nice to see that she was so comfortable with herself, because that was a rare quality in a woman these days.

"Plllleeeasseee tell me?" Luna pried while adding a pout to her begging eyes. But just as she finished speaking the elevator stopped.

"Oh, come on, we're almost there anyways," Criss said leading her down the hallway. Luna followed along even more puzzled than before. What could there be on the top floor of the Luxor hotel that required warm clothing. At the end of the hall, a large man with a fancy security badge was waiting at a door marked "Authorized Personnel Only : NOT AN EXIT". Criss walked up to the man, who proceeded to open the door, and Criss nodded his head as a gesture to follow. Luna did as he wished, but was starting to feel very nervous. They walked up a few flights of stairs, and then Luna saw it. They had reached the tip of the Luxor and all that separated themselves from the world vast sky was the glass around them. But Criss quickly changed that.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked her smiling excitedly. Luna looked pale, but she couldn't help but to be completely ecstatic as well. She nodded her head meekly, since her tongue now refused to put together syllables. Criss opened the side of the glass pyramid, and instantly the two were assaulted by strong winds from all sides. Criss took Luna's hand and they crawled out on to the top. Luna was breathless, and stared in awe at all of the lights below them. It was the most incredible thing she had ever experienced. She turned to Criss, who had been watching her. She mouthed 'thank you' since their voices couldn't be heard over the howling wind. Luna's pony tail flew around behind her, and she laughed to herself as she realized Criss' hair was long enough to do the same. 'you're welcome' he silently responded. Luna looked back at the sight, and let it all sink in.

* * *

"So was that amazing or what?" Criss asked as they went back down the stairs. Their cheeks were red from the wind, and their hair was completely tangled, but they had a glow about them nonetheless.

"Criss, that was spectacular," Luna said on the verge of tears. "I can't even put it in to words. I don't know how to thank you!" Criss paused and turned to face Luna.

"I think I have an idea," he said smiling mischievously. He leaned in to kiss her, and Luna didn't have a second thought this time. She just leaned right back and enjoyed the tingling sensations he sent through her. When they broke Criss leaned his head against hers baring a goofy smile.

"I don't think we're quite even yet," Luna said as she pulled him in to her again. Criss raised his eyebrows in surprise of her new found affection. They opened the door and walked out hand in hand. Luna noticed the guards name tag on the way by, and turned back for a moment.

"Thanks a ton Wally," she said giggling. Criss smiled and held her closer to his side as they reached his room.

* * *

**A/N -- So yes, this chapter was kind of gushy, but I happen to think it's sweet. And once again, review are truly greatly appreciated. **

**P.S. This all seems too good to be true doesn't it? hinthinthint And no, I don't mean she's dreaming.**


	9. Chapter 8

Why does he live here, Luna asked herself as she walked through the doorway of Criss's suite. She admired how spacious it was, and walked around to see it all. There was a shelf full of CDs next to his stereo, which Luna thought was cool, being a music junkie herself. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something moving. She turned quick, and watched a large cat purring away loudly, run up to Criss. He promptly picked the cat up. 

"Well, hello there Hammy!" He said to the cat. "Hammy, this is my friend Luna, Luna this is Hammy," he joked.

"Very nice to meet you Hammy," Luna replied while petting his head, and making the purrs grow louder.

Criss then leaned towards Hammy's ear, and whispered in a not-so-secretive way: "Be nice to her pal, I like her." Luna blushed and walked over to the couch. It was big and comfy, and everything a couch should be. She smiled at Criss as he set the loving cat down and interlaced his fingers. "So, mademoiselle," he said in a phony french accent. "There are several dinner choices tonight. We could go fancy, or simple. You choose," he said. Luna felt like it was some sort of a test, but she decided to just be honest.

"Eh, I'm more of a simple kind of girl, if that's okay with you," she responded and waited for his critique of her answer. He smiled, and his eyes danced with success, which made her assume she had answered the way he'd hoped.

"Sounds perfect, how about pizza? I'll have room service send it up," he said. Luna nodded, and looked around the room as Criss went to call. The walls were pretty bare, with the exception of a few posters saying Mindfreak with pictures of Criss underneath. Luna walked over to one which showed Criss's abs. He walked back in the room as she was admiring them, which made Criss smirk. "Pretty nice huh?" he asked. Luna laughed at his egotism, but she had to admit that this guy had a great body.

"I've seen better," she teased. "So do you like live here then?" she asked gesturing to the rooms around them.

"Yep. It's an agreement with the hotel. I film this season here, and I get to live here for free," he responded. "It's a pretty sweet deal. That's why we got to go to the tip of the pyramid too. I did a stunt up there a few months ago," he said while walking in to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled out 2 cokes, and tossed one to Luna. They went in to the living room and sat down on the couch.

"Really? Isn't it kind of dangerous to do something that high up? What can you do up there anyways that people will see?" Luna asked suddenly fascinated with Criss's profession.

"Well, of course there's an element of danger, but we work on this kind of thing for years ahead of time to make the stunt is 98 safe. I levitated over the tip while the giant lights were on," he said, eyes dancing with pride. "It was one of the best moments in my life. I dedicated it to my dad," he paused. "I hope he saw it from heaven" he added softly. His eyes suddenly lost the pride, and most happiness for that matter. Luna placed her hand on the base of Criss's neck in sympathy.

"I'm sorry Criss," she whispered to him softly. "How did it happen?" she asked trying to understand his pain.

Criss's jaw clenched to hold back tears. His voice was raspy when he spoke. "He got cancer, and died quickly. I was fourteen," he said. He looked up in to Luna's eyes, and she couldn't help but feel sad for him. The brown chocolate in his eyes swirled like the ocean currents. He turned away when somebody knocked on the door.

"That's the pizza," he said clearing his throat. He put on a smile, and walked to the door. A kid with freckles pushed in the cart with pizza and a pitcher of water on it, and Criss handed him a bill.

"Thanks, Criss!" the boy said, his voice cracking in the middle. Criss shut the door, and brought over the pizza and set it on the table in front of the couch. He opened it up, and waited for Luna to take the first slice. She loved pizza, so she didn't mind going first. Criss took a piece next and folded it in half before taking a bite. This silly habit made Luna smile.

"So you're really close with your family?" she asked breaking the silence. Criss responded in a much happier tone this time.

"Yeah, I have two older brothers who are really great. I mean, they show up to every stunt I perform, to support me," he said. Luna remembered the two men from the club who looked similar to Criss and wondered if that was them.

"So you're the baby in the group huh?" she teased. Criss laughed, and the mood for the night was changed for the better.

* * *

Luna got home around 1:30 after talking for hours with Criss. She was smiling as she walked quietly through the front door, but her smile dropped when she saw Bella waiting on the couch wringing her hands. She knocked the door shut with her hip, and dropped her purse down next to it.

"Hey Luna," Bella said as Luna removed her coat. "How was your night?" she asked. Her voice sounded pained, like she was hiding something.

"It was really good, thanks," Luna replied cautiously eying her friend, who for some reason, was avoiding eye contact. "Bella, is there something wrong?" Bella looked up at Luna and nodded.

"Maybe you should sit down," Bella said gesturing at the other side of the couch.

"I think I'd prefer to stand," Luna said nervously.

"Okay well, Luna, I'm really sorry I have to tell you this, but you have a right to know...When I was working today, we had a patient come in who had overdosed on drugs. We did everything we could, but it wasn't enough," Bella stared at Luna, her eyes filling to the brim. "Milo is dead, Luna."

Luna's heart paused and she turned away from her friend. Her mind raced through the morning's events. She tried to avoid all the emotions that were rushing hastily through her brain, but when it came down to it, all she could think was this: He had asked her for help, and she didn't do it...Milo was dead because of her.

* * *

**A/N - A depressing note to leave you on, I know. Sorry. By the way, I'm only really receiving reviews from one person (Thanks Tempting.Seductress), which is great, but I'd like some more of you guys to give input too. Okay, go review.**


	10. Chapter 9

Luna stumbled backwards until her back slammed against the wall, and then slid to the floor. Her hands laced behind her head as the first muffled sobs escaped her mouth. The crook of her spine grew warm because the rocking motion she'd moved in to rubbed her back against the wall. The sobs grew louder, and she felt a warm hand on her shoulders trying to still her, but she only shook harder. Bella wrapped her arms tightly around Luna to keep her still.

"It was nobodies fault Luna," Bella whispered gently in to her friends ear, and Luna realized that she had been speaking through her sobs. "Milo had a problem, and there was nothing anybody could have done to save him today," she soothed. Luna mentally scoffed, but refrained from telling her friend that she herself could have saved him. "Loon, maybe you should get to bed now. I know this is a lot to handle, but maybe some sleep will help." Luna stood shakily, and walked in to her bedroom. She closed her door leaving a concerned friend staring at it. She crawled in to bed in the same clothes she'd worn on her date, but when she closed her eyes all she could see was Milo asking her for help. She sat up back hunched over, and let her tears flow freely, as if to release the enormous guilt she felt inside.

* * *

"You have 7 new messages..." the answering machine brayed at Bella who was sorting through the mail. Upon hearing the big number she looked up surprised. She'd only been gone a day, so it seemed somewhat immoderate. A smooth male voice was emitted from the machine: "Hey Luna, it's Criss. Just wondering what you're up to. I had a really nice time last night...So uh...Call me back when you get this. Thanks!" BEEP The message was followed by 5 other similar messages from Luna's admirer as well as a sales call about insurance. Bella set down the mail and threw her purse on the couch. She walked up to Luna's bedroom door and tapped gently. As far as she knew, Luna hadn't come out of the room since she entered it last night.

"Luna?" Bella called out gently. "Honey, are you up?" A muffled grunt came from inside the room, which Bella obviously took as a 'yes', because she opened the door and walked over to Luna's bed. Luna was facing her window, not actually asleep, but trying to get some sort of rest. She hadn't slept all night, because every time she closed her eyes the events from the previous night flew through her mind. She felt Bella's hand smooth down her hair.

"How are you feeling?" her friend softly asked. Luna turned to face her, body slightly constricted in the sheets. She thought about the question. How was she really feeling? She was feeling drained. That's for sure. And tired. And sad. And guilty. But what she actually vocalized was "Okay".

"Do you need me to get you anything?" Bella asked while looking around the messy room. It was a pigsty, and looked like someone had robbed her, but couldn't find what they were looking for. She wondered if Luna had been like the robber last night, hoping to steal back pleasant memories from when she and Milo were together.

"I'm really okay, thanks," Luna replied. "Unless of course you suddenly gained the power to resurrect people," she added, but then instantly regretted her sarcastic comment. Bella however was patient.

"Alright, well I'm going to make some food, and I'll just leave here for you in case you change your mind, okay?"

Luna nodded, and then turned to face the window once more. Everybody walking on the streets below was oblivious to the pain contained in Luna's bedroom at that moment. She felt like crying again, but nothing came out.

"Criss called for you," Bella stated making Luna jump, since she thought her friend had left to make something to eat. "Actually, he called for you 6 times….Did you hear him on the machine? I think you should call him back," she advised.

Luna closed her eyes, and this time pictured the good events from the previous night. She opened them, and answered her friend. "I don't really feel like talking to anybody right now."

Bella sighed defeated, and walked out of the room. Luna curled up in to a ball, and finally fell asleep.

* * *

Luna awoke to hear hushed voices from the living room. She tried to make out who they were from. The high pitched one was obviously her roommate, but there was another voice as well, whispering in subdued tones. She reached to pick up her clock, but her hand landed on something sticky. She turned and noticed that she had ended up grabbing some rice off a plate her friend had left her. It was cold, and she wondered how long it had been there. It didn't matter though because she didn't feel like eating anything anyways.

She lifted up her clock, and saw that it read 10:17. The PM light was off, leading her to realize that she'd actually slept through the night. This made her feel a little better, but her stomach was still knotted with grief. She heard weighted footsteps moving from the other room, which stopped outside of her door. She closed her eyes hoping to feign sleep as to avoid any unnecessary conversation. She heard a soft knock, but kept true to her role by staying silent. Her door squeaked open, and the heavy steps grew closed and closer, until they stopped. She felt her bed shift as somebody cautiously sat on the other side. From behind her closed eyelids, she could make out a shadow as a face leaned above hers. She caught a whiff of a familiar smell; one that she recognized as Criss's.

She was conflicted about whether or not to "wake up", but decided to wait a minute. She felt a smooth hand graze her cheek. Criss waited to see if Luna would awaken, but she didn't. He wondered whether or not it was worth it to wake her up, but decided to do it anyways.

"Luna?" Criss inquired tenderly. He raised his hand to her cheek once more, feeling the trails of salt that remained from her previous myriad of tears. Luna cracked open her eyes, focusing them on the handsome man who was leaned up against her. Criss smiled as she "awoke". Luna tried to return a smile, but it was so forced that it looked more like a grimace. "Hey," Criss said.

"Hey," she replied in a hoarse voice. She pulled herself in to an upright position, her back leaning against the headboard of the bed. Criss pulled her into a tight hug, which Luna returned. Criss pulled away and looked at Luna. Her eyes were set above enormous swollen red bags because of her crying. Her lips were set in a prim line, trying to conceal any emotion. He tried to think of something to say. He knew asking her how she was doing was pointless, because he knew she wasn't okay. He thought that saying sorry wouldn't even come close to helping ease the ache she was experiencing. He tried to bring his mind back to what made him feel better after his dad died.

"Tell me a good memory you two shared," Criss said to Luna whose head was bent downward. She lifted in with an inquisitive look. Criss's caring gaze didn't falter, so Luna looked upward trying to remember a time when she and Milo had been happy together. She laughed upon retrieving it, and Criss smiled.

"There was this one time that he and I went to a concert. We went to see some local groups, I can't really remember who they were; but anyways, we were right up front, being pushed against the stage by the other moshing people. I couldn't see that well, because the stage was like 4 feet tall, so we were like looking up to see the people perform. So then Milo decides that I should get on his shoulders, because then I'd be like eye to eye with the singer, and I was a little high off of the adrenaline in that place at this point so I was like 'yeah that'd be awesome!', ya know? Then before I realize it, I'm on his shoulders, and people all around are cheering, but then the moshers start bumping up against Milo, which is making me wobble all over the place. Long story short, I end up falling face first on to the stage, Milo rushing up after me to make sure I'm okay. The singer was a great sport about the whole thing, making jokes about it and stuff. He ended up letting us go backstage afterwards to chill with him and the other musicians there that night. It was so much fun," Luna finished. Criss looked into her eyes admiring her, and happy that he'd thought of this trick because although Luna hadn't noticed it, she was now sitting legs criss-crossed, knee to knee with Criss; her face flushed with a new found happiness.

Luna realized what Criss had done and smiled at him. Criss cupped her chin in his hand and pulled her towards him. They shared a brief peck, which then led to a deeper more passionate kiss. Luna pulled away after a while, and wrapped her arms around Criss, grateful to have someone like him.


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer- Obviously I don't own Criss or his tricks. Also the lyrics in here are from a song called "Conquest" and are also not mine.**

There was a funeral held for Milo, although the turnout was only four people-one being the minister and the other Luna. The hundreds of empty white plastic chairs that filled the section of the cemetery made a knot grow in Luna's stomach. She truly had been his last friend, and she'd let him down. Criss had told her not to blame herself, that Milo had already past a point of no return, but no matter what he said, Luna felt the blame sit squarely on her shoulders like a worn heavy jacket. The minister asked if anyone present would like to share few words. Luna thought it was silly for him to be speaking as loudly as he was since there was nobody there, but nonetheless she smiled at him and walked up near Milo's gravestone. She knew there was no reason for her to speak, she knew that nobody would hear her, but still she began as if hoping that working her voice sore would be enough.

"I think that when we come to these sorts of things, we should picture who the person was at their best," she looked distant recalling happy memories and smiled before continuing. "Believe it or not, Milo did have a good life before his…well… before now to say the least. He had a lot of friends, and a supportive family, and me as well. According to him I was the best of the three." She laughed a little.

"I first met him when I was studying at McGill actually. I was hoping to be a writer, and he was just sort of passing through at the will of his parents. We never actually met until the last year we were there, but I remember that after we discussed classes he tried to get be enrolled in the Advanced Placement Plot Theory course I was taking, and it proved to be so difficult. But he wrote about me a lot, saying I was his only inspiration." Tears were silently sliding down Luna's face, but her voice didn't waver.

"We came here to Vegas together, mainly because he craved the excitement, and honestly I crave men who crave excitement so I followed suit," she said and let out another soft chuckle. "But, Milo started to have some trouble here, and as much as it hurt him and me, he decided to not bring me down with him. So today, I'd like to offer an overdue thank you to Milo, and I know he'll get the message. And I'm glad that this is the way I can remember him, as ludicrous as that may seem. He thought of me before himself, and I'll always love him for that," Luna looked around at the empty chairs and bit her lip as she wiped her damp eyes. "Thank you," she said.

She took the flower that the minister handed her and gingerly placed it on the earth now encompassing Milo. She wondered when this immense feeling of grief and guilt would dissipate, and thought it probably was worse since they were in the same cemetery where Milo had last approached her. She tucked her head and walked over to her chair where she grabbed her purse and began to leave.

The last two people present at the funeral followed her. One of them put his arm around her from behind and she instinctively leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for being here Criss," she whispered.

Criss turned to face Luna. "Anytime," he responded as he pulled her in to a tight hug and he meant it. It was about this time that the fourth man who had attended the funeral approached the couple. He was very tall and dressed completely in black.

"Excuse me, I know this is sort of inappropriate timing, but Ms. Crimson, may I please have a word with you?" the mysterious man asked Luna. Criss looked the man up and down in a protective manner and then released Luna from the hug who seemed equally suspicious of the man. She nodded and followed the man a few yards away where they could converse in private.

"Ms. Crimson, I'm deeply sorry for your loss, and I truly understand, because this was my loss as well," he paused and his large blue eyes searched Luna's for some recognition. "I'm Milo's brother Jim. I came as the sole representative of our family I suppose, since everyone else cut off contact after he…well you know. But anyways, I'm digressing from why I asked to talk to you. Milo often boasted to me about how creative you were, and though I realize now may be improper timing, I'd like to ask you if you have any works you'd care to submit to my publishing company. We're relatively new, and we're trying to get a variety of eclectic people to join us is kicking off a great business. You can choose whatever type of writing you'd like to submit, and if you haven't finished what you'd like to submit that's alright too," he proposed. He reached in to a coat pocket and handed Luna a card with some numbers scribbled on it. "That's the company number, so please consider my proposal and get back to me. And I'd completely understand if now is a bad time-" he paused and awkwardly placed his hand on her shoulder in solace. "-but I hope you decide to join us," he finished. Behind him stood an awestruck Luna, fingering the card in her fingers. She'd mainly sold bits and pieces to authors to include in books, and although she'd written a few novels, they hadn't been extremely successful...This could be the break she'd been waiting for.

* * *

"Favorite band?" Luna inquired. She and Criss were sitting in a dimly lit restaurant, where she was testing out Criss's so-called "mind reading" skills. The couple had been seeing a lot more of each other in the past week which followed the funeral. Luna appreciated having somebody there for her, who tried to make the pain easier to handle.

"Hm….State Radio," Criss replied.

"Favorite food?" She pressed on, still hoping to stump him.

"Well that one's just easy," he answered. "I don't even need skill to know this, since you pretty much attacked it a few weeks ago: Pizza." he answered and then sat back and crossed his arms while smiling smugly. Luna couldn't help but to smirk at his cuteness.

"You think you're so smart huh? Well here's a really tough one: What was the name of the first boy I ever kissed?" Luna's eyes implored, while the reflection of the flame from the candle on the table danced across them. Criss leaned in over the heat of its flicker before answering.

"Ah, that is a tough one," he said softly. "Maybe it'll help if I could access the scene of the crime," he whispered playfully. He leaned in to Luna who returned the gesture. The two were lost for some time wrestling tongues and sharing sweet pecks as well, until they broke apart upon hearing someone nearby clear their throat.

"I'm, uh, sorry to interrupt Mr. Angel, but your food it ready," the waiter explained before placing their dishes in front of them. Luna looked downward sheepishly; it generally wasn't her style to show such adamant public displays of affection. Criss however seemed completely unperturbed, and smiled gratefully at the waiter before looking back to Luna.

"Chad Thomas," Criss stated attempting to make Luna look up. He succeeded, because she lifter her head.

"Sorry, what?" she asked, obviously not even remembering their conversation before they'd kissed. Criss laughed a little.

"The first boy you ever kissed- His name was Chad Thomas," he said. Luna choked on the sip of water she had just swallowed. She coughed for a second while also laughing and then looked at Criss in awe. _Okay_-she silently admitted-_that was amazing_. Criss's eyes danced with pride as if he'd heard her thoughts. She just shook her head and then proceeded to eat the dinner in front of her.

* * *

Luna awoke to the next morning to a thumping under her ear. She looked around for a moment before remembering where she was and the previous night's events. Criss's large suite was now a mess, clothes splaying all around. Luna raised her arm and placed it next to her cheek on Criss's chest. She could hear his heart beating steadily, creating a fluid chant with his breath. As much as she loved what she was feeling at the moment, she really had to pee. She began untwining herself from Criss. As she started towards the bathroom she felt a hand grab her wrist. She spun around with a gasp to find a silly smile slapped on Criss's face even though he kept his eyes shut. She laughed at how cute he was, but tried to free herself. Criss opened his eyes and stuck out his lip in a pout. Luna giggled at him.

"Cwiisss," she whined in a little girl voice. "I gosta go tinkle!!" Criss laughed and reluctantly let go of Luna's arm and she skipped quickly to the bathroom. Criss slowly raised himself out of bed and began getting dressed. He heard the shower start up and decided he had enough time to go for a quick jog. He grabbed his ipod and a room key, and quickly scribbled a note to Luna before leaving the hotel room. He went down to the lobby and passed by all of the excited fans. He loved being with them, but they could wait an hour he thought to himself. He hustled out the door and began running. The music pumped through his ear buds, and his steps soon fell in line with the beat:

_Conquest-  
He was out to make a conquest  
Didn't care what harm was done  
Just as long as he won  
the prize_

_Conquest-  
She was just another conquest  
Didn't care whose heart was broke  
Love to him was a joke  
'til he looked into her eyes_

_And then in the strange way things happen  
The roles were reversed from that day  
The hunted became the huntress  
The hunter became the prey_

Criss ran for about 35 minutes, and worked up a good sweat in the newly shining sun before he returned to his suite. He closed the door behind him and heard Luna talking excitedly in the other room. She emerged, while pressing the off button on her phone.

"Criss you'll never guess what happened!"

**A/N -- Cliffhanger? Heck yes! Also, I'm sorry to any of you who were looking forward to a steamy scene. That's not my style, so this is as close as you'll get. Reviews? Thank you :)**


	12. Chapter 11

Luna's eyes were widened with excitement as she waited for Criss to answer

"Uhh…I don't know. What?" Criss responded while pulling out his headphones.

"Remember how Milo's brother Jim wanted me to submit some of my writing to their company??" Luna asked dancing from foot to foot. Criss nodded in response. He didn't mind being supportive of Luna, but it was hard for him to constantly hear Milo's name.

"Well, he just called me about a book I sent in, and…" she paused for dramatic effect. "It's going to be in stores next week!!" she screeched. "I can't believe it happened this fast, I mean usually this sort of thing takes years, but it'll be out next week. He wants me to go on a book-signing/lecture tour!! Isn't that amazing?" She exclaimed. Criss smiled at Luna and pulled her in to a hug.

"That's amazing Luna!" Criss responded trying to sound supportive, although in truth he was wondering how long a book-signing/lecture tour would take. Things between Luna and him were just starting to get good, and now she had to leave? He had to admit that this was kind of disappointing news.

"I know!" she squeaked, and then skipped off to the kitchen. Criss headed in to the bathroom to take a shower of his own. Soon after, he'd have to meet with the Mindfreak Production Crew to discuss a stunt that was rapidly approaching. He walked in to the bathroom, listening to Luna's joyful humming echo through the suite.

* * *

"Criss you can't be serious," JD shouted at his brother as they were walking back up to Criss's suite. "There is no way it's safe to be locked in a mailbag, in a truck of explosives, as it races toward the edge of a cliff. I don't care how much preparation you do, that's insane!" The older sibling reprimanded.

Criss however, didn't want to hear it, being the stubborn person he is. JD sighed in defeat, tired of the silence his brother was giving him as a response. They approached Criss's room, and before they entered, Criss paused and knocked. JD looked up puzzled wondering why his brother would knock before entering his own room. Criss opened the door and stuck his head inside.

"Luna, I have company here!" he shouted just to be sure she was decent. JD turned the questioning look still on his face.

"Who's Luna?" he asked while entering the main room. Criss nodded his head to the side hoping to find Luna so he could properly introduce her to his brother. The two headed in to the bedroom where Luna sat on the bed in front of her laptop typing furiously. She popped her head up from whatever she was working on and looked from Criss to JD who she recognized as one of the men from the club.

"Hey Loon, this is my brother JD- JD this is Luna," Criss said stepping back and allowing the two to awkwardly shake hands.

JD turned to his brother. "By "this is Luna", do you mean this is your new girlfriend that you were daydreaming about during the entire first half of the production meeting today?" he teased. Luna looked at Criss her cheeks growing pink, but with a wide smile on her face.

Criss hit his brother in the arm, but nodded. Luna was relieved to hear this, since they hadn't exactly clearly discussed whether or not they were boyfriend-girlfriend yet. "Ah, well in that case, Luna," JD began while turning towards her. "Will you please try to convince your boyfriend here that he is a stubborn bull and needs to think about the consequences of his actions?"

Luna looked to Criss confused. "Uh, Did I miss something?" she asked. Criss nodded towards the side. He was anxious about telling Luna about his escape, because the danger often scared away his past girlfriends. JD must have sensed this, because before Criss could elaborate he excused himself and left. Criss walked over to his dresser and began fiddling with random things while mustering up the right way to phrase it. Luna walked behind him and placed her hand on the small of his back which caused him to twist his neck and look at her.

"Care to fill me in?" she requested. Criss turned so he was completely facing her. He took her hands and led her over to sit next to him on the bed.

"Okay, well you know how I've talked about some of the illusions and escapes that I do?" he asked. Luna nodded carefully. "Well, we're shooting some more footage, and it'll be a tricky escape. JD is just a little worried that's all, but I promise you that we do everything we can to make sure I'm safe. Trust me," he added. Luna looked in to his eyes, and Criss returned her gaze.

"Okay."

"Okay?" Criss repeated in awe.

"Yes, 'okay'. You said to trust you, and I do. I don't know why you were so worried about telling me. I mean sure I'll be nervous about it once you're doing the trick, but I'm not going to leave you because of it," she said as if reading Criss's mind. He breathed out a sigh of relief, and wrapped Luna in to a tight hug.

* * *

"Bella?" Luna called from her bedroom. "Have you seen my red turtleneck? I need to pack it!" Bella walked in to the room and pointed to the cell phone attached to her cheek as a way of silencing Luna.

"Yeah, that sounds great!" Bella said in to the phone. "Okay….Yeah. Alright, I'll see you then Amadi!" she exclaimed before hanging up the phone. Luna's ears perked at hearing the unusual name once again.

"So, still seeing that guy from the club?" Luna asked playfully. Bella smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, we're seeing a lot more of each other. He's really nice Luna, I hope you meet him soon," Bella said while picturing Amadi in her head.

"Well, you know I'd love you Bella, but you also know that I'm going on a book tour for a month starting tomorrow, so it may be a while," Luna said.

Bella sat on the bed and smiled at her friend. "You're so lucky Luna. You know that right? You're succeeding at the job of your dreams, you have a supportive-not to mention sexy-boyfriend, and now you're going to travel around and speak to people who look up to you!" Bella placed her hand to her heart and pretended to cry. "You're so inspiring Luna," she teased. Luna picked a pillow off her bed and chucked it at Bella. Her friend laughed and walked out of the room only to return with a red turtleneck in hand. Luna smiled and tossed it in her suitcase with all of her other stuff.

"So how does Criss feel about you going away for a little while?" Bella asked while playing with a thread on the bedspread.

"He's fine with it," Luna replied. Bella raised one eyebrow as if to say _Is that so?_. Luna understood what her friend was implying so she continued. "No really Belle! I support him and his career so he does the same for me. The only unfortunate thing is that we can't be there while we each work. Like Criss's next stunt is the day after tomorrow, so he can't come with me to lectures, and I can't watch him escape death." Bella laughed at how normal a tone Luna's voice was when talking about escaping death.

"Wow, I have to respect your courage Luna. If Criss were my boyfriend, I'd be freaking out about this stunt," Bella said. Luna pushed away the doubts that were trying to creep in to her mind.

"Not me. Criss said it would be okay, and he told me to trust him. He hasn't given me any reason not to," she said, and zipped up her suitcase ending the discussion.


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N: Alright, so yes, this is one of the stunts Criss has done, and no this isn't how it ends up, but that's why it's called fiction right?**

* * *

"Criss we're almost ready for you," somebody shouted from behind a van. Criss watched nervously as his crew loaded 35 pounds of explosives along with 60 gallons of gasoline in to the prisoner transport vehicle. He then looked around once more at his surroundings in Boulder City, hoping dearly that it wasn't for the last time. From the corner of his eye, he could hear his brothers quietly consulting, and trying to give some solace to their worried mother. He took deep breaths of the dry air and ran through the steps in his head as he approached his team. He'd be placed in the mail bag, which would then be locked with a combination pad lock. He pictured himself being closed in the van and needing to escape before it reached the edge of the cliff. Screams from overzealous fans cascaded over the arid dirt, but Criss began tuning them out, trying to get in to a zone of complete focus. "Hey Criss, are you ready to do this?"

* * *

"Yes, you in the blue t-shirt," Luna prompted. She was at her 3rd lecture, and this one happened to be at a high school. The teachers had requested that she provide a time for a question and answer session hence the boy in blue.

"Uh, yeah," he began uneasily. "A lot of us were wondering why you decided to end the story with death. I mean the story is so good and then there's that blunt ending. Why is that?" The boy finished before sinking back down in his seat.

Luna pondered the question for a moment. Her book Reaching the Moon had sort of been a memoir in a fictional form. It included her own name, and it describes her journeys through all the types of relationships humans have, be it family, friendship, or romance. Of course, it would be inappropriate to answer this boy by telling him it's all fact, so she decided to take another route.

"Well, I guess I did that because as hard as it is to admit, death is a huge part of life. A lot of people fear it, which changes their actions while they're alive. I wanted to include it, because the character Luna, throughout the book is exploring all the possibilities of life, and honestly death is one of them. Also, I'm tired of the same old happy ending. I mean, sure the ending may have frustrated you at first, but let me ask you this, how many of you remember exactly what happens at the end?" Luna questioned. As a response, every student in the auditorium raised their hands with the exception of a few who were quietly talking amongst themselves.

Luna nodded as though expecting this reaction. "Okay, now how many of you remember the ending to the book you read last month in English class?" she asked. This time only a select few raised their hands. Luna smiled and nodded. "You see my point?" A few kids laughed and nodded along. Luna was about to call on another student who'd been patiently waiting to ask a question, when the unmistakable singing of Luna's phone echoed through the microphone in front of her and the speakers around the auditorium. She flushed a deep red, and reached in to her pocket to look at the ID. Upon seeing that it was from the city where Criss's stunt was being performed, Luna panicked. She looked up at the students and now frustrated teachers and stuttered out a few incoherent words.

"Sorry, it…uh…Emergency… I have to take it," she said before walking to back from the microphone in attempt to keep her conversation private. Unfortunately it didn't work, so 700 pairs of eyes were trained on Luna as she answered the phone.

"Hello?"

_Uh, yes hello, is this Luna Crimson?_

"Yes, it's she," Luna responded glancing upward and turning away from accusatory eyes.

_Ms. Crimson, I was asked by a JD Sarantakos to call and request your presence here at the Boulder City State Hospital. A one, Criss Angel has been injured while attempting some sort of escape. Can I tell Mr. Sarantakos that you will be coming?_

Luna paused in silence, her voice caught in her throat. Criss couldn't be hurt, he'd said he'd be fine. She finally managed to choke out some words.

"Uh, yes, of course, I have 3 hour drive, but I'll be there as soon as I can. But before you go, can you please just tell me he's okay?" Luna pleaded.

_Well, I'm sorry m'am, but we're not allowed to reveal information to non-family members. You'll just have to come speak with Mr. Sarantakos yourself._

"Thanks," she mumbled quietly (and not really gratefully) before hanging up.

Luna felt panicked, and her neck suddenly seemed constricted, causing her eyes to prick with moisture. Luna looked around at the expecting faces as she put away her phone. She was disorientated but she tried to make everyone understand.

"Uh, I'm sincerely sorry, but I have to cut this interview short. There's been a slight emergency at my home, and I really need to get there as soon as possible," she said while gathering her things. The teachers who had previously been sending abrasive stares now expressed compassion and assisted Luna on her way out. She got in her car and started to drive ignoring her recently hired assistant who chased after her.

* * *

'I'm almost out,' Criss thought to himself as he heard the driver escape from the van. He was out of the mail bag at this point, but he was having trouble opening the padlocked doors. He calmed his nerves and convinced himself not to panic as he raced against the clock. Finally he felt the lock click, and he threw it off and slammed open the doors. He went to jump, but momentarily lost his footing, and landed on his side, spinning around several times before coming to rest on a mound of dirt. Milliseconds later he heard a roaring explosion, and head seared through his clothing.

His crew rushed to his side, a camera-man recording it all from the side. He wasn't moving. Voices were shouting all sorts of commands and requests, and the paramedics sprinted over to the scene. Criss could feel the mass forming around him, and could faintly hear screams from adoring fans. He tried to respond when the paramedics asked him questions but his lips felt sewn shut. Then the voices grew faint, and everything went dark.

**A/N : Nooo, that's not the end, so don't worry. Please review!! And FYI, this story will be ending pretty soon, so any input or criticisms you may have should be spoken soon or forever hold your peace. **


	14. FINAL CHAPTER

"Don't move him!" the paramedics on scene yelled to the surrounding crowd as they rushed to Criss's side. After having seen the way Criss landed, they worried about the possibility of paralysis, so they needed to keep him still for as long as possible. Dimitra Sarantakos was closest to Criss aside from those hastily examining him. She stared at her son tears, dropping from her eyes. This is exactly what he promised would never happen, she thought to herself. The paramedics hoisted Criss up trying to maintain the same position, and set him gently on a stretcher. They lifted him in to the Emergency Vehicle which had been driven closer. Dimitra tried to follow her son, to ensure that he was okay, but the paramedics didn't allow it since they had no inkling of the severity of his injuries. She sobbed as the doors closed in front of her and the vehicles sirens blared as it drove away. She felt a pair of strong hands squeeze her from behind and turned to see her two other sons. She fell in to their arms, and they semi-carried her to their own car before following Criss to the hospital.

* * *

Luna's mind swam with all the countless possibilities that might have happened to Criss, to a point where she almost missed the hospital exit. As she neared the tall brick building, her breath caught in her throat. She wished she had been there for Criss, although she knew there wasn't much she could have done. She parked her car in haste and rushed inside the hospital. She ran to the reception desk, and frantically asked for Criss Angel's room. The woman seemed unfazed by Luna's sense of urgency, and took her time looking for Criss's name.

"Are you a family member?" the receptionist asked. Luna hesitated considering lying, but then shook her head no. The receptionist sighed and then repeated a familiar statement. "I'm sorry ma'am but with the state this patient is in right now, only family member are allowed to see him." Luna's eyes welled with tears and she thought about arguing with the woman but then caught herself realizing it would do no good. Instead she put that energy to use searching for some familiar face.

As she rounded the halls in the emergency unit, she spotted not a familiar face, but rather a familiar logo. A group of about 4 people sat together in black shirts sporting Criss's logo. Luna walked up to the group and asked if they were there for Criss.

"Yeah, we're his crew. And who are you?" they asked in a slightly rude tone as if they thought she was just an over enthused fan.

"I'm his girlfriend, Luna," she replied wondering if Criss had told them about her. She then realized he had because their expressions softened.

"Oh sorry," said a woman with long blond hair. "We've had fans coming here for over an hour trying to find out about Criss. Although we really know as little as the rest of the world," she sighed.

"They won't tell you anything either huh?" Luna asked trying to lighten the mood but all of the members just shook their heads solemnly. Luna didn't feel like sitting around like these people so she asked them if they knew where JD was because he'd asked her to come.

"Yeah," the same woman responded. "I'm pretty sure he's in with Criss. They're in room 318, but you're not allowed in," she said, but Luna was already headed for the room. She approached the door, disappointed to see that there wasn't a window for her to peek through at Criss. She knocked and waited for an answer. The man who answered the door was the third man Luna had seen at the club so she assumed it was Criss's other brother.

"Costa?" she prompted. The man nodded and waited for her to continue.

"Uhm, I'm Luna. JD asked me to come here," she said waiting for some sort of recognition. Costa nodded and opened the door, then poked his head out to ensure that no angry nurses were coming their way. JD had been sitting in a chair across from the bed next to an older woman with very similar features.

"Luna you came!" JD exclaimed scooping an unsuspecting Luna in to an awkward hug. Over his shoulder, Luna could see the woman giving her a once over before standing. JD pulled back and then turned to the woman. "Luna this is our mom Dimitra," he introduced. Luna smiled and shook the woman's hand.

"So you're the woman that my Criss has been spending all his time with?" Dimitra asked looking over Luna once more. Dimitra then smiled and continued. "Well, he has good taste." Luna relaxed and smiled gratefully but her smile quickly vanished when she finally caught sight of Criss laying unconsciously in the hospital bed. The entire right side of his body was covered in bruises, (or at least what she could see outside of the hospital gown). Luna walked over and let her eyes gingerly pass over Criss's body. His shoulder and neck were both wrapped in a number of materials which she assumed were supposed to keep them from moving. She tried to ask what was wrong, but her voice caught in her throat and wouldn't come out. Thankfully JD seemed to have read her mind.

"The doctors said that he broke his shoulder blade which is a rare break, but possible to recover from. Unfortunately he also fractured his neck, which is a really dangerous thing because there's a possibility of paralysis. By now, they're pretty sure he'll be fine, but it definitely is something to keep an eye on. He's on really high dosages of pain killers right now, so he probably won't be up and conscious for a few more hours," he said. Luna took a moment to let this information sink in. Criss broke his shoulder blade: _could that restrict the movement in his right arm?_ He fractured his neck: _what will he do if he's paralyzed?_ Luna's mind swum and she felt dizzy. Fortunately Costa came over to her and led her to a chair. He squatted down in front of her and looked in to her eyes.

"He'll be okay Luna," he said with an unexpected strength in his voice. "I know my brother, and even if he's not conscious, he's fighting back. Don't worry," he soothed and then went over to his brother and mom. Luna nodded numbly, and spaced out while staring at Criss. A voice from near the doorway brought her away from her thoughts.

"Hey Luna, would you mind keeping an eye on Criss for a bit?" JD asked. "We want to bring our mom home, and quite honestly we're pretty tired from today's events, so we'll probably catch a little sleep before we return, okay? If somebody asks you who you are just say that you're our cousin." Luna nodded without speaking and watched them leave. She leaned her head against the wall and tried to figure out what time it was. When she was at the school it had been about 4, and her drive had taken longer than expected at about 4 hours, and she figured she'd been at the hospital for about an hour so that would make it….9 o' clock. She sighed and leaned her head against the wall and shut her eyes eventually drifting off in to a dreamful sleep.

_Her eyes popped open at the sound of a consistent buzzing. She looked up and saw that Criss's heart monitor had flat-lined so she slammed open the door and screamed for help. Two doctors ran in to the room shoving something in Criss throat and tearing of the gown. _

_CLEAR… Nothing. CLEAR…Still no response. CLEAR…Not a thing changed._

"_Call it," one of the doctors ordered. The other looked at his watch, and replied._

"_Time of death 9:53." Luna sobbed and threw herself on Criss's body._

"_He can't be dead!" she shouted at the doctors trying to remove her. "He can't be dead! I never got to tell him that I love him!" she screamed, and was then pulled out of the room by force._

Luna gasped as she straightened up with a start. He eyes dashed over to Criss's heart monitor only to see that it was beeping at a constant rate. She breathed a deep sigh of relief and put her head in her hands to calm herself down.

"Well, look who finally woke up," a weak voice whispered from the bed. Luna's eyes shot open once again to see a fragile smile placed on Criss's face. Luna laughed and felt tears escaping from her eyes at the same time. She rushed to Criss's side and gently stroked back his hair from his face. Criss closed his eyes and smiled at the caring touch. He looked up to see Luna with tears still falling silently from her face. "Why are you crying?" he asked her.

Luna tried to smile. "You just scared me, is all. I'm glad to see you're awake. When JD called me to tell me you were hurt I thought I'd have a heart attack right there on the stage. Fortunately, I managed to get here before any freak outs happened," she said. Criss raised his left hand and tenderly stroked Luna's cheek. She smiled and leaned in to the warm touch. She took his hand in hers and leaned in to kiss him. Criss's lips smiled against her own causing her to pull back laughing.

"What?" she asked.

"I was just thinking that maybe I should hurt myself more often," he jested. Luna pinched his finger playfully.

"You'd better not mister!" she ordered and then leaned in once more. Unfortunately the door then swung open by a nurse coming place water by Criss's bed. The nurse looked up and then scoffed in surprise. Luna turned flushed and accidentally bumped Criss's cast causing him to hiss.

"Excuse me," the nurse said. "But who are you?"

Luna remembered what JD told her to do. "Uh… I'm his cousin!" she said and then realized how very creepy that was under the circumstances. The nurse raised her eyes but set down the water and left, shutting the door behind her. Luna looked over at Criss who let out a stifled laugh. Luna glared at him. "What was I supposed to say?" she asked. Criss just shook his head and then looked thoughtful for a second before remembering what he wanted to say.

"What were you dreaming about?" he asked Luna. She looked at him surprised as she walked back over to his side.

"How did you know I was dreaming?" she questioned looking confused.

Criss smiled. "Well you were breathing heavily and your head kept moving. Oh yeah, and you kept shouting 'Criss'," he laughed. Luna laughed too realizing what he might have thought.

"Actually it was a terrible dream," she said while noticing out of the corner of her eye that Criss looked hurt. "I dreamt that you died," she said and noticed his emotion changed to sympathy.

"Aw, Luna, that's terrible. But I told you I'd be okay, and I couldn't let you down," he smiled. Luna returned it.

"I know, but that wasn't even what made it so bad. The entire time, I felt this nagging regret, because there's something I really wanted to tell you," she said. Criss nodded.

"What was it?"

Luna looked straight in to Criss's eyes and whispered: "I love you Criss." She waited for him to seem surprised or resentful or something, but he just smiled and stared right back at her.

"I love you too Luna," he replied. Luna felt relief and happiness flood through her body and she leaned to kiss him once more.

**A/N: THE END!! WOOT! haha SO, let me know your thoughts, be them good or bad! Thanks and I hope you liked it!!**


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